Description
Moist pumpkin cupcakes flavored with warm fall spices and topped with creamy caramel cream cheese frosting made with homemade salted caramel sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- Pumpkin Cupcakes:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- 1/3 cup milk
- Salted Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into about 6 pieces
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or coarse salt
- Cream Cheese Caramel Frosting:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened but still firm
- 4 ounces full-fat brick-style cream cheese, softened but still firm
- 2–3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce
- 1 tablespoon cream, if needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line muffin pans with 14-16 paper liners.
- Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla and pumpkin puree.
- Whisk half of the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture, followed by the milk. Whisk in the remaining flour mixture just until smooth.
- Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about two-thirds to three-quarters full.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10-20 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Measure all caramel ingredients before beginning.
- Add the granulated sugar to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Heat while stirring occasionally until the sugar forms lumps and then melts into a deep amber color.
- Once completely melted, add the butter while whisking constantly. Use caution because the mixture will bubble.
- Lower the heat and whisk in the whipping cream until the caramel becomes smooth and evenly colored.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the salt. Cool the caramel completely.
- Beat the frosting butter until smooth.
- Mix in the cream cheese just until combined.
- Beat in 1 cup powdered sugar, followed by 1/2 cup completely cooled salted caramel sauce.
- Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar, about 1/2-1 cup at a time, until the desired sweetness and consistency are reached. Add 1 tablespoon cream only if needed.
- Pipe or spread the frosting onto completely cooled cupcakes.
- Drizzle with reserved salted caramel sauce before serving, if desired.
Notes
- Use 100% pure pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling.
- The individual spices can be replaced with 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or 1 1/2 teaspoons for a milder flavor.
- The salted caramel recipe makes about 1 cup, while the frosting uses only 1/2 cup. Reserve the remainder for drizzling.
- Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese for the frosting and soften it only slightly before mixing.
- Cupcakes can be baked one day ahead and stored unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Salted caramel sauce can be prepared one day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.
- Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months and thaw them in the refrigerator before frosting.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 377
- Sugar: 38
- Sodium: 111
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 13
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 65